Importance of Second Chances
by Love-in-the-Stars
Summary: The story of how God learned a lesson and everyone got together. Gabriel/Sam/Lucifer /Michael? . Dean/Castiel


**Title:** The Importance of Second Chances  
><strong>Pairing:<strong>Gabriel/Sam/Lucifer(hinted /Michael); Dean/Castiel  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG-13  
><strong>Spoilers:<strong> Up to Season Five, then it goes AU  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> Kinda cracky  
><strong>Word<strong>**Count:** 1,279  
><strong>Summary:<strong> _The__ story __of __how __God __learned__ a __lesson __and__ how __everyone __got __together._  
><strong>Notes:<strong> Written for my Five Things Meme at Livejournal for **mangacrack** who left the following prompts: Sam/Lucifer, oblivion; Sam/Lucifer, light; Sam/Gabriel, blood; Lucifer/Gabriel, forgiveness and Michael/Lucifer, egg.

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><p>Sam and Gabriel were the first ones to come together. They had history with each other, more recent history anyway considering Gabriel had been estranged from his two brothers for so long, even if most of it was fraught with negative tensions and spilled blood. But then Gabriel did something so amazing that Sam nearly forgave him instantly. Gabriel sacrificed himself for Team Free Will's cause, though later when questioned Gabriel would deny the thought and insist he really only did it because Sam's 'freaking puppy dog eyes are his greatest weapon' and that not even he could resist.<p>

Personally, Sam just figured Lucifer's posturing had finally pissed Gabriel off and the Trickster Angel had wanted to show him up. Which didn't go exactly as he'd planned considering Gabriel actually died but either way it was the right choice, especially since God brought him back after everything was over.

After Sam had thrown himself, Lucifer and Michael into the Pit and ended the Apocalypse, God had been so impressed by Sam's dedication that he'd brought the human back from the depths at the same time as he resurrected Gabriel. So, Sam met back up with his brother and Castiel and they began hunting again, just like when things were still okay. Like an inevitable truth, Gabriel followed not long after, popping in on them during a hunt and banishing whatever evil thing of the week with nothing more then a smirk and a showy snap of his fingers.

To everyone's combined surprise Sam had only looked at him, smiled and said that if he planned on following them around he had to spruce up their living arrangements. The conditions were agreed to and with nothing more then that Team Free Will had gained one new member.

Less then two weeks later Sam got badly hurt on a hunt, leaking blood all over the inside of the Impala while Dean freaked out and ranted to the air, hoping and praying one of the angels would hear. Luckily Gabriel heard the call and appeared in time to use his mojo and heal the terrible hole at Sam's center. Sam had clenched at Gabriel's shoulders, quivering in a mixture of pain and terror and made little whimpering noises that shot right through to Gabriel's heart. Later that same evening, once everything calmed down, Gabriel had approached Sam and made his offer. It was surprisingly accepted and while Dean expressed doubt and a lack of understanding he did nothing to convince Sam otherwise and for that Gabriel was thankful. He hadn't been sure Sam would be able to deny his brother should Dean have refused them together.

Then God took things a step further and released Michael and Lucifer. Together, but tied to earthly vessels. Lucifer was given the same form he'd held before, that is to say he looked like a twin of Nick and Michael's vessel was handcrafted by God. He was tall, close to Sam's size even, blond and undeniably beautiful. More then that, God dumped them off at the Winchester's hotel with a message that they were to stick with the brothers and learn the customs of humanity.

Needless to say, things were very tense for a while. Especially when Lucifer attached himself to Sam and refused to be swayed away from him. Sam was uncomfortable with at first but gradually relaxed and warmed to the task of humanizing the two Archangels, though always under the supervision of Gabriel, who remained suspicious and highly resentful toward both of his elder brothers, Lucifer especially. No one held it against him and instead Lucifer worked hard at behaving and doing his best to make things up to his vessel and his brother. It was slow going and gradually Gabriel relaxed but it wasn't until Sam whispered of acceptance and possibilities that he considered forgiveness.

And it didn't actually come until Lucifer took down a whole warehouse full of demons who dared think kidnapping Sam out from under the noses of an over protective brother, two super protective archangels, one completely righteous archangel looking to please and a socially awkward angel in love with the over protective brother as a good idea. Lucifer had banished the hoard of demons to an oblivion well deserved in Gabriel's opinion and after a save like that, Gabriel pretty much considered Lucifer forgiven and made no protest against bringing him into his relationship with Sam. The human needed all the angelic assistance and loyalty he could get just to stay alive. Winchesters were magnets for life threatening danger and who better for such protection then the former Devil of Hell? Besides, despite everything Lucifer's light of innocence about mundane things made Sam smile and laugh and the hunter delighted in teaching him about the little things in life. And Gabriel couldn't deny Sam things that made him happy.

All that remained to be contended with was Michael, who was always well behaved, if not a tad bit more then arrogant. However, he still held a lingering resentment and hurt toward Lucifer. Wounds like the ones between them could not be easily healed, if they could at all. Gabriel was optimistic though, considering he had once never thought he would be able to forgive Lucifer himself or trust him with Sam, the most important thing of his own life. So, the Trickster Angel plotted and planned and since Sam was no idiot, the hunter quickly caught on to his scheming. Together they came upon the perfect plan to get the two back to at least working together, which would then eventually escalate to them being happy together again.

It went like this: Sam gave Lucifer and Michael an egg. It was an ordinary chicken egg, nothing special in anyway but they had strict orders to take care of it. They had to treat it like humans would a baby. They had to ensure it didn't break, they had to keep it on them at all times and they had to take turns being with it so that neither angel would monopolize the egg.

Michael and Lucifer declared the idea the most ridiculous thing they'd ever heard of. That was the first time they'd ever agreed on something so Sam and Gabriel decided to view that as a sign of a good start. Sam convinced them to go along with it anyway, mainly through the use of the puppy eyes that Gabriel found so damaging. It seemed neither Archangel was immune it its effects.

Despite all misgivings, usually in the form of Dean's mockery, the two oldest angels came through and managed to keep the egg 'alive' for the allotted week. As tentatively hoped, by the end of the week Michael and Lucifer had come to an amiable agreement that clearly they were misguided and would need to band together to stand even a fighting change against the crazy that was humanity.

While it wasn't exactly an undying declaration of love, it was at least a declaration of promise not to kill each other so really, Gabriel and Sam counted it as a win.

As for Dean and Castiel, well, Dean just found the whole damn situation amusing as all hell. Unless he started thinking about his little brother being involved with _two_(possibly even three if Michael decided to jump on that bandwagon) Archangels of the Lord and then he usually just got queasy and had to escape to spend some time with the Impala. Castiel on the other hand was just happy to have his mate and his brothers and a flock to call his own because in all seriousness, what more could he want?


End file.
